BJP Finalises Alliance Pact With Shiv Sena For BMC Polls

Mumbai: Ahead of the announcement of municipal corporation elections, the BJP has moved to mend ties with its Mahayuti partners, particularly the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The party leadership has decided to contest key civic bodies — notably the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) — in alliance with Mr. Shinde’s party.

The decision follows Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan’s meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah earlier this week. On Thursday night, Mr. Chavan also held discussions with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on the upcoming polls.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra are scheduled for January 2026. Of these, nine fall within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), making them politically crucial for the BJP. Mr. Chavan’s meeting with Mr. Shinde comes against the backdrop of growing friction between the allies over the BJP allegedly poaching Shiv Sena leaders.

Mr. Chavan said the Mahayuti partners would contest the BMC, TMC and other major civic bodies together “under any circumstance”. Senior BJP leaders, he said, were unanimous in their view that an alliance was needed for “public welfare and development”. “Efforts are being made to contest most elections as Mahayuti,” he added.

The state BJP president said committees comprising local Mahayuti leaders would be set up in other corporations to work out seat-sharing formulas. “Senior leaders have already decided to go ahead with the alliance in cities like Mumbai and Thane. Committees in other corporations will finalise the local formula,” he said, adding that a final announcement would be made soon.

A Shiv Sena functionary said senior Mahayuti leaders — especially from the BJP and Shiv Sena — would review the alliance framework before it is finalised. Mr. Shinde is scheduled to meet all party legislators in Nagpur on Friday. “He has asked MLAs to submit detailed feedback to the local committees so the party can secure a respectful share of seats in major corporations,” the functionary said.

Mr. Chavan said politics should be free of animosity since “you never know who may become your friends”. He added that senior leaders were working to forge alliances in as many civic bodies as possible ahead of the elections.